Suchart orders Rayong warehouse raid, seizing e-waste
Pollution Control Department inspects 5 warehouses in Nikhom Phatthana, Rayong, seizing electronic circuit boards and illegal machinery on Oct 12, 2026.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin ordered an urgent PCD inspection in Rayong
- Authorities found stored e-waste and circuit boards across 5 rented warehouses
- Unlicensed recycling machinery used for shredding and sorting was discovered
- Officials seized all evidence and collected 15 samples for laboratory testing
On October 13, 2026, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin ordered the Pollution Control Department (PCD) to inspect a group of rented warehouses in Nikhom Phatthana district, Rayong province. The directive followed reports of suspicious shipping containers and objects resembling industrial waste being transported into the area.
The joint inspection took place on October 12, 2026, at 09:30 AM. Dr. Surin Vorakitthamrong, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department, led a team comprising the Rayong Pollution Control Center, the Pollution Inspection Division, the Rayong Provincial Industry Office, the Natural Resources and Environment Office, the Damrongtham Center, and local administrative officials to search the warehouses operated by Rayong Industrial Co., Ltd. located in Moo 1, Nikhom Phatthana sub-district.
Out of 15 warehouses within the complex, inspectors successfully accessed five units, specifically warehouses numbered 7, 8, 10, 12, and 14. The search revealed vast quantities of discarded materials, including electrical wiring, plastics, scrap aluminum, scrap paper, wood scraps, and scrap iron, alongside electronic circuit boards mixed in with the general recyclables.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
In addition to the waste piles, authorities uncovered operational machinery installed for sorting and shredding materials. Equipment found included sizing screens, shredders, and water-based copper separators. These setups qualified as factory operations under the Factory Act, yet operators failed to present a valid factory operation license during the inspection.
"The inspection team also discovered waste stockpile labels inside warehouse No. 8 indicating import container numbers and cargo weights, which could serve as crucial clues to trace the origin of the materials."
Dr. Surin Vorakitthamrong, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department
For evidence collection and legal proceedings, the PCD teamed up with the Rayong Provincial Industry Office to gather 14 waste samples from warehouse No. 14, plus one wastewater sample from a drainage pond in front of the building, totaling 15 samples sent for laboratory analysis. Meanwhile, the provincial industry office formally seized all items and machinery found across the five warehouses.
The illicit smuggling and storage of e-waste and industrial refuse in Rayong highlights ongoing vulnerabilities regarding transnational waste dumping and underground recycling operations that exploit rented warehouses. Recovering container identification labels and shipping details represents a vital breakthrough for investigators aiming to hold financiers and transport providers accountable under environmental laws.
Dr. Surin concluded that the PCD will maintain continuous inter-agency cooperation to accelerate fact-finding efforts, mitigate environmental and health risks to local residents, and enforce the law strictly based on collected evidence and official jurisdiction.
Source: Khaosod Politics
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